Latch device for sliding door structure



Oct. 26, 1965 M. TUCKER 3,213,652

LATCH DEVICE FOR SLIDING DOOR STRUCTURE 'Filed June 24. 1963 PIC-1.4 R

INVENTO MORTON TUCKER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,213,652 LATCHDEVICE FOR SLIDING DOOR STRUCTURE Morton Tucker, 1395 E. 11th Ave.,Hialeah, Fla. Filed June 24, 1963, Ser. No. 289,801 4 Claims. (Cl.70-97) This invention relates to a lock and latch mechanism for slidingglass doors of the type that are mouthed within a main frame situated ina wall opening and with the frame carrying trackways upon which thedoors slide and preferably doors that open and close in overlappingrelation.

The invention contemplates a glass door having an extruded open framefor the support of glass panels and with the frame including a leadingstile wherein is disposed a vertically slidable latch plate adapted tohave interlocking relation to a fixed keeper carried by the main frameand with the latch plate being movable to and from a latched position byan externally disposed handle and in addition the latch plate to bemoved to and from a latched position with respect to the keeper by a keyactuated cylinder bolt.

Novel features of construction and operation of the device will be moreclearly apparent during the course of the following description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein has beenillustrated a preferred form of the device and wherein like charactersof reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the severalfigures.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a pair of sliding glass doors havingthe invention applied thereto,

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken substantially on line22 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the door stile, parts beingbroken away for purpose of illustration, and

FIGURE 4 is a section taken substantially on line 44 of FIGURE 2.

Referring specifically to the drawings, a main frame is disposed withina Wall opening 5, the main frame including extruded jamb members 6 thatare connected in the usual manner by header and sill rails, not shown.The jarnb member 6 is provided with a keeper 7 that is locked to thejamb member by a nut 8 and the keeper 7 terminates in an outwardlyextending cylindrical head 9, having a beveled forward end 10.

The stile 11 of the door 12 is generally rectangular in cross sectionand is slotted upon its inner edge as at 13 to receive a vinyl weatherstrip 14 in which is fitted the marginal edges of the glass panel 15.The forward or leading edge of the stile 11 is provided with anelongated opening 16 having a transverse width corresponding to the head9 of the keeper and a cover plate 17 also having an elongated slotcorresponding to the slot 16.

Slidable within the stile 11 is an L-sha-pe latch plate 18. One leg ofthe L for a substantial length is provided with slots 19, being of thesame width as the slots 16 and the slots 19 are connected by arelatively narrower slot 20, said slot being of such width as to receivethe reduced portion 7a of the keeper 7. The latch plate 18 is adapted tobe released from the keeper 7 in either of its maximum upper or downwardmovement. Passing through openings formed in the cover plate 17 and theforward wall of the stile are upper and lower tapped rivets 21telescoping over threaded screws 22. The screws 22 have heads 23 forminga stop for springs 24. The springs 24 also bear against washers 25 thatbear against the inner face of the latch plate, causing the latch plateto be held in frictional engagement with the inner side of the lead ingedge of the stile 11. The latch plate is also slotted at 26 to overridethe rivets 21. The other leg of the latch plate is provided witha tongue27 that slidably engages a slot 28 formed adjacent the marginal edge ofthe rear wall of the stile 11. The tongue 27 is riveted or otherwiseconnected to a handle 29 and whereby the latch plate may be shifted ineither an upward or downward movement an in each of its maximumpositions of movement, either one of the slots 19 will have alignmentwith the slots 16 so that the head 9 of the keeper may be released withrespect to the door. Upon the outer side of the door, there has beenprovided a pull handle 30, held to the side of the stile 11 by rivets orscrews 31. The leg 18' of the latch plate is transversely slotted at 32.Fitted in the outer wall of the stile 11 is a key actuated cylinder lockmechanism. 33. The cylinder may be held in connection with the stile 11in any suitable manner. Fastened upon the cylinder of the lock is a keylock dog 34. The dog 34 has a right angle arm 35 that fits into theupper slot 32 and whereby the latch plate may be locked or unlocked withrespect to the keeper 7. The arm 35 of course has a cam action in theslot 32. The plate 18 can only be shifted by the handle 29 while thelock 33 is in its unlocked condition. Also by turning the key in thelock the arm 35 may be swung to shift the plate 18.

One side of the door may be provided with a pull handle 36 of anydesirable configuration and the handle 36 may be omitted and cups or thelike inserted Within suitable openings in thesides of the stile 11 to besubstitutedto shift the door manually.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a very novel andsimpleconstruction has been provided to effectively lock or latch the slidingdoor with respect tothe main frame jamb. The latch plate having beenslotted at 32, both its upper and lower presents a structure that may beinverted at such times as the device may be assembled with respect to anopposite stile ofthe door. The device has few and simple parts notcalculated to give any trouble from a mechanical standpoint and isquickly and easily assembled with respect to the stile of the door. Itmay be found desirable in certain instances to omit the cylinder lock 33and to depend entirely upon the handle 29 for latching and unlatchingthe door.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the preciseconstruction shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fallWithin the spirit of the invention as shall be determined by the scopeof the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a closure device that includes a fixed framemounted in a wall opening and with the frame having a latch keeper,shiftable panel doors slidable in the frame and movable toward and fromthe keeper, the shiftable panel door having a rigid frame for supportinga glass panel and with the last-named frame including a hollow extrudedleading stile, a forward Wall of the stile being slotted for the passageof the keeper, a latch plate disposed within the stile and biased towardthe forward wall of the stile, the latch plate being slotted to formupper and lower relatively wide slots and a connecting slot and wherebyto receive an enlarged head portion of the keeper, the latch platehaving a tongue that extends through a slot in a rear wall of the stileand.

carrying a handle outwardly of the stile whereby to shift the latchplate to and from an interlocking engagement with the keeper, a keyactuated cylinder lock projecting through an opening in one side of thestile and with the lock having a rotatable dog that engages a slotformed in one wall of the latch plate whereby to also shift the latchplate to and from an interlocking engagement with the keeper.

2. A lock and latch device for sliding doors comprising, a door framehaving a projecting keeper provided with an enlarged head on the end ofa cylindrical smallerdiameter stem, a hollow stile on a sliding door,said stile containing an L-shaped slidable latch plate, said. latchplate having a first leg disposed against a forward wall of the stile,spring means contained within the stile for biasing said leg of thelatch plate into contact with said wall of the stile, the first leg ofthe latch plate having an elongated slot provided with enlarged portionsat its opposite ends and through which the enlarged head of the keepercan be passed, the enlarged portions of said slot being connected by anarrower portion through which only the stem of the keeper can bepassed, the latch plate having a second leg provided with a partprojecting out of the stile and carrying a hand piece by which the latchcan be slidably moved to register either of the enlarged portions of theslot with the head of the keeper, said second leg of the latch having anotch, and a cylinder lock mounted in the stile and provided with anactuator engaging in the notch to slidably move the latch onkeyoperation of the lock 3. A lock and latch mechanism for a glass paneldoor that has slidable engagement within a fixed metallic frame in awall opening, a door having a hollow extruded stile member at itsleading edge, the stile member being generally rectangular incross-sectional shape and having a forward web defining the forward endof the stile member, said web being provided with an elongated opening,a keeper fixed upon and projecting from the frame, said keeper having ahead portion entering through said opening in the web of the stile, anL-shaped latch plate slidably mounted within the stile, said plateincluding a leg extending toward the forward web of the stile, springmeans for biasing the said plate toward the forward end of the stile,said spring means permitting sliding movement of the latch platerelatively to the stile, said latch plate including an extended tongueportion projecting out of the stile and receiving a knob for effectingmanual sliding movement of the latch plate, a face plate attached on theface of the web, said face plate having an opening overlying the slot inthe forward web of the stile so that the head of the keeper can passthrough both the slot and opening, the forward leg of the latch plateincluding a part disposed flatly against the rear face of the forwardweb of the stile, said part of the latch plate having a slot providedwith a narrow central part and widened end parts, with the central partof said slot being of less width than the head portion of the keeper andthe wider end portions of said slot being wider than the width of thehead on the keeper, the latch plate having another slot, a key-actuatedlock in the stile having a crank engaging the last-mentioned slot sothat rotation of the crank will cause the latch plate to be shifted in amanner to bring one or the other of the wider portions of thefirst-mentioned slot in the latch plate in a position to permit thepassage of the head of the keeper through such wider portion of theslot.

4. A lock and latch device for sliding doors in which said sliding doorsare shiftable within a fixed frame, and with said frame having at leastone jamb and the jamb being provided with an outwardly-directed headedkeeper, a door including a forward hollow stile member, the stile memberhaving a front web provided with a flat face having an aperture throughwhich the keeper can extend, a face plate disposed over said face andhaving an aperture in registry with that in the web, with said aperturesbeing of a size to permit of the passage of the head of the keeperthrough them, an L-shaped latch plate within the stile, said plateincluding a part disposed against the inner face of the front web of thestile, said part of the latch plate having a slot formed with widenedends through which the head of the keeper can pass and with a narrowerpart between said widened ends through which the head of the keepercannot pass, spring means for maintaining said part of the latch plateagainst the rear face of the front web of the stile but permittingsliding movement of the latch plate to allow the registry of the head ofthe keeper with either of the wide parts of the slot in the latch plateor with the narrower part of said slot, the latch plate having a tongueextending out of the stile and terminating in a knob by which the latchplate can be shifted to locate either of the wider parts of its slot inregistry with the keeper, a cylinder lock having a swingable armengaging the latch plate and movable by key operation of the lock toshift the latch plate to regulate the position of its slot relative tothe keeper.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 12,983,000 5/61Metzger. 2,990,208 6/61 Miller -97 3,026,702 3/62 Cary 70--97 FOREIGNPATENTS 784,557 10/57 Great Britain.

ALBERT H. KAMPE, Primary Examiner.

1. THE COMBINATION WITH A CLOSURE DEVICE THAT INCLUDES A FIXED FRAMEMOUNTED IN A WALL OPENING AND WITH THE FRAME HAVING A LATCH KEEPER,SHIFTABLE PANEL DOORS SLIDABLE IN THE FRAME AND MOVABLE TOWARD AND FROMTHE KEEPER, THE SHIFTABLE PANEL DOOR HAVING A RIGID FRAME FOR SUPPORTINGA GLASS PANEL AND WITH THE LAST-NAMED FRAME INCLUDING A HOLLOW EXTRUDEDLEADING STILE, A FORWARD WALL OF THE STILE BEING SLOTTED FOR THE PASSAGEOF THE KEEPER, A LATCH PLATE DISPOSED WITHIN THE STILE AND BIASED TOWARDTHE FORWARD WALL OF THE STILE, THE LATCH PLATE BEING SLOTTED TO FORMUPPER AND LOWER RELATIVELY WIDE SLOTS AND A CONNECTING SLOT AND WHEREBYTO RECEIVE AN ENLARGED HEAD PORTION OF THE KEEPER, THE LATCH PLATEHAVING A TONGUE THAT EXTENDS THROUGH A SLOT IN A REAR WALL OF THE STILEAND CARRYING A HANDLE OUTWARDLY OF THE STILE WHEREBY TO SHIFT THE LATCHPLATE TO AND FROM AN INTERLOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE KEEPER, A KEYACTUATED CYLINDER LOCK PROJECTING THROUGH AN OPENING IN ONE SIDE OF THESTILE AND WITH THE THROUGH AN OPENING IN ONE SIDE OF THE SILE AND WITHTHE IN ONE WALL OF THE LATCH PLATE WHEREBY TO ALSO SHIFT THE LATCH PLATETO AND FROM AN INTERLOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE KEEPER.